Classes in Sarajevo Canton to start on January 31st in classrooms

(Patria) - The Ministry of Education and Upbringing of Sarajevo Canton informs that classes in the second semester will begin on January 31, 2022, in classrooms, respecting all prescribed hygienic-epidemiological measures, following the same model as in the first semester of this school year.

The Ministry states that this decision was made after a series of consultations with the Ministry of Health of Sarajevo Canton, the Public Health Institute of Sarajevo Canton, school principals, trade unions, and the Association "Council of Parents of Sarajevo Canton."

"In addition to laws and bylaws, the following documents also serve as a reference framework for the organization of the educational process:

-Recommendations for schools in the context of COVID-19 for the 2021/22 school year issued by the Public Health Institute of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, August 2021,
-Manual for the organization and implementation of the educational process in the circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic issued by the Ministry of Education and Upbringing of Sarajevo Canton, July 2021, and
-Instructions on the organization and implementation of educational work in primary and secondary schools in the 2021/22 school year and Amendments to the instructions on the organization and implementation of educational work in primary and secondary schools in the 2021/22 school year
-Orders, measures, and conclusions of the Government of Sarajevo Canton.

"The Public Health Institute of Sarajevo Canton will prepare a Methodological Guideline for the prevention and control of SARSCoV-2 infection and COVID-19 disease in primary and secondary schools in Sarajevo Canton. The Methodological Guideline will be delivered to schools through the Ministry of Education and Upbringing and published on the website of the Ministry of Education and Upbringing (https://mo.ks.gov.ba/skolska20212022)," the Ministry announced.

In May 2021, the Ministry of Education and Upbringing conducted a survey on the mental health of children/students, teachers, and parents for the first time. A working group was formed to analyze the survey results. Based on the analysis, Dr. sci. Remzija Šetić, a psychologist and member of the working group, provided recommendations and conclusions, from which we can highlight:

"During the Covid19 pandemic, the restrictions used during online classes led to various psychological difficulties being recorded in a significant number of children. From 9.3 to 13.7 percent of children exhibited various emotional and behavioral difficulties, hyperactivity, and peer relationship difficulties. As many as 4.6 percent of children showed difficulties that could be classified as clinically significant, with subject teachers stating the following: 42.20 percent of students assessed not going to school as a disadvantage, 61.50 percent believe the biggest disadvantage is the inability to socialize with peers at school, and 50.50 percent of students stated that online learning is difficult and that it is a complete disadvantage for them."

"From the research, we concluded that children need love and supervision, and they largely marked spending more time with parents as positive. However, they highlighted the disadvantages of online classes in terms of learning difficulties and lack of peer interaction. In other words, we conclude that by combining warm parental attention and structured work as in school, and contact with peers, we achieve desirable conditions for their growth and development," the Ministry emphasizes.

They point out that, considering the child's well-being and respecting the epidemiologists' recommendations related to the current COVID-19 pandemic situation, it is necessary to make maximum efforts for classes to take place at school, to reduce potential risks of Covid-19 transmission to the minimum, because the benefits for children's mental health of spending time at school, in structured work with teachers, in interaction with peers, and not neglecting accompanying school and extracurricular activities are significant.

"In addition to the importance of preserving and improving children's mental health, it is important that we care about the mental health of school staff, and carrying out all their work in direct contact with children is something that is irreplaceable and best for maintaining the good mental health of school staff.

The Ministry of Education and Upbringing organized professional counseling and training for pedagogues, school psychologists, and social workers during this month, and we will continue to develop support programs for students and provide support to principals, teachers, and professional associates in the future," the Ministry also stated.

With a call for responsibility in respecting the prescribed and recommended hygienic-epidemiological measures, and with constant monitoring of the number of infected people in Sarajevo Canton, the Ministry will maintain open communication with responsible actors in the educational and health systems, and will change decisions on the teaching model as needed accordingly.